Martin Johnson: Ponting's consolations minor on an historic day for England

The Australian captain suffers the ignominy of being sledged by his own fans as England have it all their own way on the final day at the Gabba

Ricky Ponting may have taken some minor consolation from his half century at
the end of a mentally dispiriting last couple of days, but it’s something of
a collector’s item to witness an Australian cricket captain being sledged by
a home supporter. With England having collapsed from 188 for 0 to 479 for 1,
Ponting suddenly had the bright idea of stationing himself at silly mid-on,
whereupon a sardonic rasp with a broad Queensland accent rang across the
ground. “Good thinking, Ricky! The last catch in a Test match at silly
mid-on was a hundred ****ing years ago! Still, there’s bound to be another
one soon! “

Ponting can count himself a little unlucky, given that this sarcastic
observation came from quite possibly the only Australian on the ground. The
thin final day population at the Gabba was almost exclusively Pom, and so
extraordinary was the scoreboard that even the Barmies